experimenting with ways to tone coins

maddox · February 11, 2003 12:45PM

Hope this post doesn't offend or start a flame war. But, I am the curious type and I would like to play around with tonning coins. I've already toned some SAE's rather nicely, bought an early 1900's book,(you should have seen the ladys face when I told her what i was going to do) cutting a hole thru 40 pages that is the size of the SAE, placed the coin inside and put it on top of my dryer, left it there for several months, it's now starting to develop some really nice cobalt blue and burnt orange around the rim, very faint but visable. I've also played around with using raw sulfur in various ways, melted and gased a coin, dusted a towel and wrapped the coin in it. All with some good results and some REALLY BAD ones.

My intentions are honarable, as I am just a really, really curious type and I'm fascinated by this. I think deep down that a lot of collectors want to ask this question or talk about this subject.

FatMan · February 11, 2003 12:47PM

Hurry up and get Down! INCOMING!!!!!!!!!!!

maddox · February 11, 2003 12:48PM

I figured

stman · February 11, 2003 12:50PM

Fatman, LOL......... I'm never shocked at what I might read on this board.

indianabyron · February 11, 2003 12:53PM

Hey dont feel bad I have an on going project where im working on toning some coins. Some 1964 kennedys 20 of them and now 10 SAE 2002 been working on it for a year now and nothing. My goal is to figure out how the various colors come up so I can spot At better none of the coins will be sold as Real toned they will all be sold as At if they ever tone.

Ive got them everyplace in the glove box of the car now the truck under paper on wood on the furnace in some old shoes. in the closet in the outside storage. i even have 1 kennedy and SAE inbetween rubber the coins are surronded by 2 sheets of sran wrap so they dont get gooped up. And there is nothing to see not even a speck of toning.

As a double blind I have 1 SAE in a Pvc flip And in a 2x2. same with the 64 kennedys.

Byron

stman · February 11, 2003 12:59PM

Heck, you might as well try out some original surface Barbers, and Morgans, etc. etc.

Then you can always send them to NCS and get them "Fixed."

ponzi187 · February 11, 2003 1:02PM

My favorite way to tone silver is to toss it in an old coffee can with a bunch of dirty pennies, in about a year or so they turn a beautiful black...

indianabyron · February 11, 2003 1:04PM

Bahhhhh I dont have the money to send it to ncs. Ill just take the brillo to it then a quick trip on the buffer and volah MS70. lol just kidding

Byron

Shocker · February 11, 2003 1:12PM

Spraypaint - Get any color you want.
I had a 1986 Silver Eagle that was given to me in a little manilla folder. The coin was bright when I got it, then 10 years later I looked at it and it was deeply toned with all of the nice colors. Might want to try that if you have a few years for the project.

ccr · February 11, 2003 1:25PM

I haven`t tried this myself and thought about having a coin set in crushed garlic.

Shocker · February 11, 2003 1:27PM

Not that I would do it, but I am also curious as to EXACTLY how people are toning coins.

tsacch · February 11, 2003 2:02PM

I like the shoebox cardboard encased coin thats wetted down adn placed in a sunny spot for several months.......takes the edge of cleaned busties

maddox · February 11, 2003 2:18PM

<< Not that I would do it, but I am also curious as to EXACTLY how people are toning coins. >>

Thank you, It's hard for me to understand something unless I know how it's done.

I find myself attracted to toned coins, but find the prices unreasonable in most cases. I've got some whizzed morgans (I didn't do it!, relax) from my early days of collecting. There pretty much useless and can't bring myself to pawn them off on someone who can't spot whizzing, so why not tone them.

dorkkarl · February 11, 2003 6:37PM

i am artificially toning several collections in wayte-raymond holders.

on the experimental side - your just getting started! i use kennedy's (sorry russ) for most of my experiments.

K S

MadMonk · February 11, 2003 8:27PM

I use Wayte Raymond Holders.

nwcs · February 11, 2003 9:28PM

Ain't no thang. I've got several coins in a naturally toned experiment. Last fall I took a 1977 proof cam ike and put it on a bookshelf raw with a cloth sprayed with pledge over it. Last time I glanced, it was gaining a little color. I also have several other silver coins in various paper contraptions situated in different places to see what happens. I won't bother with flame or liquid toning since they are rarely attractive.

MadMarty · February 11, 2003 10:14PM

Me too, I have coins wrapped up and hidden all over the house. So far only soft golden toning. I have been playing with 64 kennedy's (cheap silver). Guess I'm going to have to visit the chemist!!!

mrfred · February 11, 2003 10:40PM

I've been experimenting with Sac dollars. I have the second one in a little dish on the dining room table, where it gets very bright sunlight, particularly in the mornings. The first one was in that spot for the better part of a year. I can attest that this tactic speeds along the blackening for which Sacs are known.

I also have a family heirloom 1954-D .01 that is still in a promotional paper envelope from the Denver mint. It was a freebie given to everybody who attended some convention there -- I forget the convention. Wow, the paper has had a wonderful effect on that cent.

maddox · February 11, 2003 11:45PM

<< Me too, I have coins wrapped up and hidden all over the house. So far only soft golden toning. I have been playing with 64 kennedy's (cheap silver). Guess I'm going to have to visit the chemist!!! >>

I purchased 75 silver rounds from me local dealer, at spot silver pricing, very cheap to play with.

AbesNeighbor · February 11, 2003 11:51PM

SO MUCH FOR BEATIFULLY, NATURAL TONED COINS. THIS REINFORCES MY THOUGHTS COMPLETELY ABOUT "TONEHEADS"

clw54 · February 12, 2003 12:29AM

Is coin collecting the only hobby where tarnish is considered desirable?

maddox · February 12, 2003 1:00AM

<< SO MUCH FOR BEATIFULLY, NATURAL TONED COINS. THIS REINFORCES MY THOUGHTS COMPLETELY ABOUT "TONEHEADS" >>

Perhaps you might read my original post a little more carefully before tossing around insults, especially since you know nothing about me.

ScarsdaleCoin · February 12, 2003 1:48AM

Try this...place coin in a potato and microwave for short period of time

MadMarty · February 12, 2003 1:54AM

<< Try this...place coin in a potato and microwave for short period of time >>

Ouch!!!

Bear · February 12, 2003 2:11AM

Some people seem to enjoy a tarnished reputation.

Bear · February 12, 2003 2:16AM

The way things are going in this world, Im not sure we have 10 years to tone our coins.

We might have to buy them toned, real fast ,.so we can enjoy them before the end .

I may just go hide in the woods for a while. I buried all of my coins, in sealed mayonaise jars,

Under a big strong tree. Mainly because old Russ is always looking for my Kennedy Proofs and AHs.

Shocker · February 12, 2003 2:23AM

<< Try this...place coin in a potato and microwave for short period of time >>

And when your done... you have a nice toned coin and a tasty baked potato treat.

MadMonk · February 12, 2003 2:28AM

<< 

<< Try this...place coin in a potato and microwave for short period of time >>

Ouch!!!

>>

What about seasonings? Salt, Pepper, Salt and pepper, butter, Butter and salt, butter and pepper.
Gosh! the possibilities are endless!

MadMonk · February 12, 2003 2:33AM

Actually, I've had excellemt results within a couple of years. I used some greeting card envelopes once and got some real pretty color with some concentric action too. Cut up the paper to mimic old coin envelopes. Pure natural toning. A dipped coin, of course, will not react as nicely (hmmm, theres that dipping controversy again. if you dip, you remove components that might lead to some outstanding color)

maddox · February 12, 2003 2:41AM

<< Actually, I've had excellemt results within a couple of years. I used some greeting card envelopes once and got some real pretty color with some concentric action too. Cut up the paper to mimic old coin envelopes. Pure natural toning. A dipped coin, of course, will not react as nicely (hmmm, theres that dipping controversy again. if you dip, you remove components that might lead to some outstanding color) >>

Dipping and tonning in the same post, Yikes!!!! <ducking as a morgan goes whizzing past me> Oops did I say whizzing

MadMonk · February 12, 2003 2:47AM

You said Whizzing

maddox · February 12, 2003 2:57AM

Any takers for a dipped, AT tonned and whizzed ACG Morgan MS68. Cheap!

And yes, the coin does have some original "potato" tonning the dipping failed to remove

pmh1nic · February 12, 2003 3:04AM

Someone posted a picture of a toned 2001 SAE the other day. Regardless of the fact that it was slabbed by one of the major grading services my understanding of the toning process tells me with a high level of certainty that the only way a coin of that vintage could toned that dramatically in such a short period of time is that got some intentional help (translate that to mean ATed). It wouldn't matter to me what the coin looked like or who slabbed it I would not be interested in it (no offense to my friend that posted the pic

).

I don't have a problem with people experimenting with their coins (hey, the coins belong to them). I enjoy naturally toned coins, coins that through unintentional, historical happenstance somehow managed to survive and acquire attractive color. The unpredictable, unintentional characteristic of the toning adds a certain amount of mystic and value to the coin (at least for me). I view this toning as a testament to the fact that the coins have survived through a period of history where the lack of modern climate control and the chemicals contained in the storage media in rare cases produced these beautiful colors.

That time is gone. We live in a period of history where it's relatively easy to control the storage environment and where the storage media is relatively free of the substances that produce toning. I wouldn't consider paying a premium for toning on a coin that was minted after the mid-1960's regardless of who slabbed it or what it looks like simply because in all likelihood the coin was probably "helped" in acquire that toning (somewhat arbitrary date but I think that's about the time the Mint stopped using the paper and cardboard holders for Mint Sets).

experimenting with ways to tone coins

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